CHAPTER 6. Licensed Cultivation Sites [26060 - 26066]

(a) Regulations issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture governing the licensing of indoor, outdoor, nursery, special cottage, and mixed-light cultivation sites shall apply to licensed cultivators under this division. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall have the authority necessary for the implementation of the regulations it adopts pursuant to this division, including regulations governing the licensing of indoor, outdoor, mixed-light cultivation site, nursery, and special cottage cultivation.

(b) The regulations shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide that weighing or measuring devices used in connection with the sale or distribution of cannabis are required to meet standards
equivalent to Division 5 (commencing with Section 12001).

(2) Require that cannabis cultivation by licensees is conducted in accordance with state and local laws.

(3) Establish procedures for the issuance and revocation of unique identifiers for activities associated with a cannabis cultivation license, pursuant to Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 26067). All cannabis shall be labeled with the unique identifier issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture.

(4) Prescribe standards, in consultation with the bureau, for the reporting of information as necessary related to unique identifiers pursuant to Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 26067).

(c) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall serve as the lead agency for purposes of the
California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code) related to the licensing of cannabis cultivation.

(d) The Department of Pesticide Regulation shall develop guidelines for the use of pesticides in the cultivation of cannabis and residue in harvested cannabis.

(e) A cannabis cultivator shall not use any pesticide that has been banned for use in the state.

(f) The regulations promulgated by the Department of Food and Agriculture under this division shall implement the requirements of subdivision(b) of Section 26060.1.

(g) The Department of Pesticide Regulation shall require that the application of pesticides or other pest control in connection with the indoor, outdoor, nursery, specialty
cottage, or mixed-light cultivation of cannabis complies with Division 6 (commencing with Section 11401) of the Food and Agricultural Code and its implementing regulations.

(a) An application for a license for cultivation issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture shall identify the source of water supply as follows:

(1) (A) If water will be supplied by a retail water supplier, as defined in Section 13575 of the Water Code, the application shall identify the retail water supplier.

(B) Paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply to any water subject to subparagraph (A) unless the retail water supplier has 10 or fewer customers, the applicant receives 10 percent or more of the water supplied by the retail water supplier, 25 percent or more of the water delivered by the retail water supplier is used for cannabis cultivation, or the applicant and the
retail water supplier are affiliates, as defined in Section 2814.20 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations.

(2) If the water supply includes a diversion within the meaning of Section 5100 of the Water Code, the application shall identify the point of diversion and the maximum amount to be diverted as follows:

(A) For an application submitted before January 1, 2019, the application shall include a copy of one of the following:

(i) A small irrigation use registration certificate, permit, or license issued pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Water Code that covers the diversion.

(ii) A statement of water diversion and use filed with the State Water Resources Control Board on or before October 31, 2017, that
covers the diversion and specifies the amount of water used for cannabis cultivation.

(iii) A pending application for a permit to appropriate water, filed with the State Water Resources Control Board on or before October 31, 2017.

(iv) Documentation submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board on or before January 1, 2019, demonstrating that the diversion is subject to subdivision (a), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 5101 of the Water Code.

(v) Documentation submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board on or before October 31, 2017, demonstrating that the diversion is authorized under a riparian right and that no diversion occurred after January 1, 2010, and before January 1, 2017. The documentation shall be submitted on or accompany a form provided by the State Water Resources Control Board and shall
include all of the information outlined in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, and (e) of Section 5103 of the Water Code. The documentation shall also include a general description of the area in which the water will be used in accordance with subdivision (g) of Section 5103 of the Water Code and the year in which the diversion is planned to commence.

(B) For an application submitted after December 31, 2018, the application shall include a copy of one of the following:

(i) A small irrigation use registration certificate, permit, or license issued pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Water Code that covers the diversion.

(ii) A statement of water diversion and use filed with the State Water Resources Control Board that covers the diversion and specifies the amount of water used for
cannabis cultivation.

(iii) Documentation submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board demonstrating that the diversion is subject to subdivision (a), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 5101 of the Water Code.

(iv) Documentation submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board demonstrating that the diversion is authorized under a riparian right and that no diversion occurred after January 1, 2010, and in the calendar year in which the application is submitted. The documentation shall be submitted on or accompany a form provided by the State Water Resources Control Board and shall include all of the information outlined in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, and (e) of Section 5103 of the Water Code. The documentation shall also include a general description of the area in which the water will be used in accordance with subdivision (g) of Section 5103 of the Water Code and
the year in which the diversion is planned to commence.

(3) If water will be supplied from a groundwater extraction not subject to paragraph (2), the application shall identify the location of the extraction and the maximum amount to be diverted for cannabis cultivation in any year.

(b) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall include in any license for cultivation all of the following:

(1) Conditions requested by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board to (A) ensure that individual and cumulative effects of water diversion and discharge associated with cultivation do not affect the instream flows needed for fish spawning, migration, and rearing, and the flows needed to maintain natural flow variability; (B) ensure that cultivation does not negatively impact springs,
riparian habitat, wetlands, or aquatic habitat; and (C) otherwise protect fish, wildlife, fish and wildlife habitat, and water quality. The conditions shall include, but not be limited to, the principles, guidelines, and requirements established pursuant to Section 13149 of the Water Code.

(2) Any relevant mitigation requirements the Department of Food and Agriculture identifies as part of its approval of the final environmental documentation for the cannabis cultivation licensing program as requirements that should be included in a license for cultivation. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the identification of these mitigation measures. This paragraph does not reduce any requirements established pursuant to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(3) A
condition that the license shall not be effective until the licensee has demonstrated compliance with Section 1602 of the Fish and Game Code or receives written verification from the Department of Fish and Wildlife that a streambed alteration agreement is not required.

(c) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall consult with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the implementation of this section.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the Department of Food and Agriculture is not responsible for verifying compliance with the conditions requested or imposed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife or the State Water Resources Control Board. The Department of Fish and Wildlife or the State Water Resources Control Board, upon finding and making the final determination of a violation of a condition included pursuant to
paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), shall notify the Department of Food and Agriculture, which may take appropriate action with respect to the licensee in accordance with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 26030).

(a) The state cultivator license types to be issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture under this division shall include all of the following:

(1) Type 1, or “specialty outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting of less than or equal to 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises, or up to 50 mature plants on noncontiguous plots.

(2) Type 1A, or “specialty indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting of between 501 and 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises.

(3) Type 1B, or “specialty mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental
artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, of between 2,501 and 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises.

(4) Type 1C, or “specialty cottage,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, of 2,500 square feet or less of total canopy size for mixed-light cultivation, up to 25 mature plants for outdoor cultivation, or 500 square feet or less of total canopy size for indoor cultivation, on one premises.

(5) Type 2, or “small outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(6) Type 2A, or “small indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial
lighting between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(7) Type 2B, or “small mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(8) Type 3, or “outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting from 10,001 square feet to one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

(9) Type 3A, or “indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of
Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

(10) Type 3B, or “mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

(11) Type 4, or “nursery” for cultivation of cannabis solely as a nursery.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by law:

(1) Type 5, or “outdoor,” means for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting greater than one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(2) Type 5A, or “indoor,” means for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting greater than 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(3) Type 5B, or “mixed-light,” means for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, greater than 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

(c) No Type 5, Type 5A, or Type 5B cultivation licenses may be issued before January 1, 2023.

(d) Commencing on January 1, 2023, a Type 5, Type 5A, or Type 5B licensee may apply for and hold a Type 6 or Type 7 license and apply for and hold a Type 10 license. A Type 5, Type 5A, or Type 5B licensee shall not be eligible to
apply for or hold a Type 8, Type 11, or Type 12 license.

(a) No later than January 1, 2021, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall establish a program for cannabis that is comparable to the National Organic Program (Section 6517 of the federal Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et seq.)), and the California Organic Food and Farming Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 46000) of Division 17 of the Food and Agricultural Code) and Article 7 (commencing with Section 110810) of Chapter 5 of Part 5 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall be the sole determiner of designation and certification.

(b) If at any time preceding or following the establishment of a
program by the Department of Food and Agriculture pursuant to subdivision (a), the National Organic Program (Section 6517 of the federal Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et seq.)) authorizes organic designation and certification for cannabis, this section shall become inoperative and, as of January 1, of the following year, is repealed.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 27, Sec. 51. (SB 94) Effective June 27, 2017. Conditionally inoperative as prescribed by its own provisions. Repealed, by its own provisions, on January 1 following inoperative date.)

A person shall not represent, sell, or offer for sale any cannabis or cannabis product as organic except in accordance with the National Organic Program (Section 6517 of the federal Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et seq.)), if applicable. A person shall not represent, sell, or offer for sale any cannabis or cannabis product with the designation or certification established by the Department of Food and Agriculture pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 26062 except in accordance with that subdivision.

(a) No later than January 1, 2018, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall establish standards by which a licensed cultivator may designate a county of origin for cannabis. To be eligible for the designation, 100 percent of the cannabis shall be produced within the designated county, as defined by finite political boundaries.

(1) Cannabis shall not be advertised, marketed, labeled, or sold as grown in a California county when the cannabis was not grown in that county.

(2) The name of a California county, including any similar name that is likely to mislead consumers as to the origin of the product, shall not be used in the advertising, labeling, marketing, or packaging of cannabis products unless
the cannabis contained in the product was grown in that county.

(b) No later than January 1, 2021, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall establish a process by which licensed cultivators may establish appellations of standards, practices, and varietals applicable to cannabis grown in a certain geographical area in California, not otherwise specified in subdivision (a).

Indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation by persons and entities licensed under this division shall be conducted in accordance with state and local laws related to land conversion, current building and fire standards, grading, electricity usage, water usage, water quality, woodland and riparian habitat protection, agricultural discharges, and similar matters. State agencies, including, but not limited to, the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Water Resources Control Board, the California regional water quality control boards, and traditional state law enforcement agencies, shall address environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation and shall coordinate when appropriate with cities and counties and their law enforcement agencies in enforcement efforts.